Treasured Confidence
by DXRULES103
Summary: Lightman remained detached as best as he could, but for some reason she was breaking down the walls that he so carefully put up to his utmost confusion.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers**: Don't own anything. That's all.

**A/N**: Yeah, I know that I haven't updated on any of my stories. But I'm working on it. I hope you enjoy my first story for the television show Lie to Me. Now, I've taken some liberties with Cal's office. I'm making it seem bigger than it actually is, and I'll mention some other liberties pertaining to this show some other time.

**Summary**: Lightman remained detached as best as he could, but for some reason she was breaking down the walls that he so carefully put up to his utmost confusion.

Cal Lightman nodded and ignored different people who worked for him as he headed toward his office. He was prepared for another day of catching the lies and finding the problems of what was required of him and his team.

Upon arriving a few steps away from his office, he noticed that someone was already in it, and believed that this person was in fact a potential client. He was about to move to greet the visitor, but decided against it when his eyes caught the would be customer, whom appeared to be a woman with long dark wavy hair, had rubbed her upper arm up and down with the fingertips of her right hand.

The woman's nervousness and distress was clearly evident to his sharp eyes. He wasn't made out by this person for the woman's eyes were on the pictures of his microexpressions. Lightman moved closer to stand in the doorway as silently as he could. The hair blocked her face, but he didn't need to see a face to get information. By the way the woman shifted her weight with her feet, swaying a centimeter or so to her left and right, and the almost stiff shape of her shoulders with the act of her holding herself, he could identify the signs very easily.

Witnessing enough, Lightman walked through with normal steps, and found to his interest the women not acknowledging his presence even when he chose not to conceal it. He paid close attention to the way she observed the wall of his microexpressions. Her head was bent a little forward, but also tilted slightly to the right. By her height, and lithe structure it looked like she was lost in her thoughts.

Standing directly a foot or less behind her, Lightman cleared his throat, and asked her how he could be of service. The woman showed surprise when her shoulders "jumped," and by the way she even flinched a little. The lady, a little slowly, turned to face him to reveal a remarkably striking face that for some reason imprinted itself in his mind.

She had a soft looking face that was angular at best, but still carried some roundness. Her nose was a little flat, eyes spread apart in an Asian way, a faded birthmark on her left cheek, and full lips. The hair, which he already knew to be way and mid-waist length, was apparently layered, and black with a more prominent red highlights upper layer. And her hazel eyes complimented the tone of her skin which was nicely toned between white and tan.

"Oh, um…" she trailed off and then looked down for a second. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and continued with a little more courage than before. "I was told that this is Dr. Lightman's office…" She nodded over at the micro expressions. "That'll be you right?"

Lightman nodded; assessing the woman's voice. The voice she had was a little like velvet; the texture reminded him of Europe, but her accent seemed so mixed that it turned and sounded like velvet. He imagined that this person in front of him traveled. He also surmised that she was probably based in the west coast rather than the east.

He walked to his desk, and beckoned her to sit down with a slight movement of his hand.

"How may I help you?" he asked politely; eyes ever watchful and every analyzing.

Taking a seat in front of him, the woman placed her purse on her lap and wrapped her arms about it. Her eyes wandered a bit; locking around the office a little until finally those hazel eyes rested directly into Lightman's own. But she couldn't hold it for a long time. She looked down at her hands that were now fiddling with the purse.

Lightman, not blind to her apprehensive energy, spoke up and was careful not to cause her any more distress since his curiosity was piqued. He smiled a little with slight amusement at her and spoke softer than he normally did.

"Here at The Lightman Group I'm sure that we'll be able to solve your problem," he assured as he emphasized his English accent knowing full well that with some people his foriegnness could affect people positively.

The hazel eyed woman's shoulders relaxed as she smiled a smile that never reached to her eyes. The words he spoke didn't relieve all of her anxious energy, but enough to make her look him in the eye directly. And despite her right hand still clutching her purse, Lightman saw her bravery being mustered clearly by her hazel orbs and by the way her pulse steadied.

"My name is Rebecca Isaac," she introduced. Another strand of her hair flew out, but she quickly restored order by putting that strand behind her ear. "My lawyer – Att. Mason Carlisle recommended your group to me." She handed him a card that was from the attorney. "He has told me that you are an expert of lies and finding the truth."

Lightman couldn't help but be pleased in seeing Isaac's confidence grow as she talked. The more relaxed she became the greater understanding he had of what kind of person she was. He smiled once more with trained politeness, looked at the card, read it over, and tossed it aside. Priority number one at the moment was her baseline behavior. He would discern the lies later.

"So…a defense lawyer…" he ventured into a drawl. The little, but swift jerk of her head told him he was right. He leaned back and scratched his chin. "So who you want me to acquit?" Isaac's cheeks tightened. He sat up and peered for a few moments at Isaac until the answer came out of his mouth. "Save from prison…"

A distinct sadness flooded Isaac's eyes as her lower lip trembled, but then she laughed. It wasn't a forced laugh, but it wasn't a laugh that came from joy. It was a way to express one's self that Lightman recognized well. This supposedly joyful sound was actually a noise of uncertainty and unwilling humor. And the strangest thing about this laugh was that it sounded normal like the woman had been laughing this pretend laugh all her life.

And then the look of a pained kind of strength came to her eyes as she replied with a voice that spoke of no barren fault, "Yes. My brother, David, he was convicted of mass murder five months ago. He was sentenced to live in prison with no parole, and he's been living in solitary confinement. He's got no one but me. If it weren't for me he'd been staying in that cell for twenty-three hours and walking alone outside for an hour."

She took put a file from her purse and handed it to Lightman. She looked around, and then made eye contact with him.

"I got as much information as I could," she continued. "But it would be easier if you called his lawyer."

Lightman opened the folder, placed it on his desk, and browsed through the papers. He scanned the files; reading testaments, evidence profiles, and psychologists' remarks. He wasn't reading everything that his eye looked upon, but instead searched for key words that would grab him and make the wheels in his head turn. And his mind indeed turned for his eyes focused on the words of a signed confession.

"He confessed…I know." Isaac said.

He looked up and found that her eyes were a little blank as if what she said meant nothing to her. And then she looked away and sighed. He tilted his head to the side in interest with hidden inspection and replied, "Confession or not, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

He would make good on his words because he would see the lies and find the truth whether she or anyone liked the outcome or not. He expected to be hired by this person and he would not be corrected otherwise. He watched Isaac return her gaze to him and noticed her attempt to remain calm. She was sitting straighter, her cheeks were relaxed, the hazel in her eyes were not faded, but one thing gave her away besides the increased speed of her pulse.

Her lower lip was once again trembling.

"Dr. Lightman – my brother…" she paused and steadied herself as best as she could. Her eyes were glazed with unshed tears as she continued emphatically, "He's not a killer. He's not made for prison. My brother doesn't deserve this. He's innocent. I know it."

The raw emotion pouring out of her expressions, voice, and words were so powerful that Lightman unwittingly felt a strange stirring inside himself. He was a little confused by this curve ball that was sent at him, but dismissed the occurrence immediately by his analytical mind that ignored emotion of whatever sort.

"We'll look into it," he replied.

Rebecca Isaac nodded. She let out a light exhale of breath, and smiled even though it didn't reach her eyes. But the aura of sadness still emanated from her along with a hint of tattered defiance that Lightman guessed was built from years of experience.

"Thank you, Dr. Lightman," she said softly.

Lightman nodded and followed her walk out of his office with a posture that was a little more confident. He then stood up, crossed to the office's doorway, and looked to his left to see her unattended and unmarred by his or anyone else's eyes. Her stance was straight, her wavy black hair still, and her spacing slow.

"Hmm…" he muttered.

And then he turned back to his office.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**TBC**

**A/N**: I hope you enjoyed that. I hope to update soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers**: I do not own any of the characters except for Rebecca Isaac and her brother David.

**A/N**: Well, I finally edited this chapter, and am now have officially posted this. I'm really interested to hear what you all think of this. Reviews appreciated!

**Summary**: Lightman remained detached as best as he could, but for some reason she was breaking down the walls that he so carefully put up to his utmost confusion.

Dr. Cal Lightman and Ria Torre were just outside of Attorney Mason Carlisle's office. They were sitting down waiting for the man to come by and meet them. Patiently waiting, their watchful eyes scanned the building and everyone inside it, looking at faces and analyzing actions.

"Who hired us?" Ria asked, turning her head slightly to view Lightman. She didn't get a preview from her boss earlier at the Lightman Group building so she had no clue about the details. "The defense lawyer?"

Cal was sitting in a casual way with his body leaning low on the chair, his legs stretched out, left foot above the right one, his left hand deep in his coat's pocket, and the other hand up in the air near his head. He kept his gaze on the things and people in front of him then titled his head slightly without breaking it.

"A Rebecca Isaac's brother was convicted for mass murder," he replied with a nonchalant tone. "She believes him to be innocent despite the fact that her brother confessed and signed on it."

As he finished speaking, he caught two animated people in what looked like to be a conference room to his right just a few feet from where he and Torre were at. As he peered more, he made out that the two people talking were the said Rebecca Isaac and another man who was fairly tall and dark in skin. The only logical reason for the woman that hired him to be there was that the person she was talking to must be the attorney Mason that he and his colleague were looking for.

"There they are…" he muttered quietly.

From the corner of his eye, Ria swerved her gaze to the direction his. She straightened her neck then tilted it as she focused attentively at the two.

"Is that her?" she asked.

Cal nodded a little. "And that's him too."

Rebecca Isaac's arms were crossed tightly, her whole body facing her attorney, and her lips were not trembling in the slightest. She was evidently tired by the slight wrinkles on her face, and by how her cheek muscles moved.

The attorney Carlisle, on the other hand, looked sad and sympathetic as indicated by his eyes. He was speaking quickly compared to Isaac's stoic lips. He looked confident while Rebecca displayed nervousness.

Their conversation went on for about a few more minutes when Rebecca turned to look out the same window that Cal and Ria were spying through. Her posture was defiant, her face relaxed, but her eyes were sad and lost somewhere as if in a deep memory. But then she blinked, and her eyes became mildly confused. It was then that Cal realized that she had spotted them.

Cal suddenly felt a little uncomfortable by the way she looked at him. The small confusion was quickly replaced by some amusement. He couldn't hold her gaze, so he averted his eyes. But they found their way back to her, and her dark orbs were once more sad. He found that she was indeed a pretty good liar. He expected that from any normal person that she could convince them with her lies. But that wouldn't work with him and his group. Everyone had a tell and hers was her eyes.

The woman that occupied his musings turned from him effectively breaking the eye contact.

"Ah! Dr. Lightman and colleague!" greeted a low voice.

The said doctor and Torre looked up to their left to see whom they believed to be Mason Carlisle walking up to them. He had a strained smile on his face and he looked paler than one should. But when he came to stand before them, the lawyer's face was filled with blood and his skin became normal – per se.

"Come in my office." Carlisle beckoned. He led the way as they followed him inside. He went to the back of his desk as his two guests stood in front of it. "So you've been hired by my client's sister, I presume."

Ria took a seat in front of the litigator, crossed her legs, and looked at him. Cal chose to remain standing an inch or three away from the door. He put a hand down in his jacket's pocket and tilted his head.

"What kind of abridged summary can you give us?" he asked.

Carlisle nodded, showing no sign of negative feelings. "The evidence was circumstantial at best – in the beginning. The DA had no motive whatsoever for my client that was capable of even convincing a jury." He took out a flash drive, and a CD then handed it to Torre. "I knew from the moment I was assigned to David Isaac's defense that he was not a killer. He is the most unlikely candidate for mass murder."

"But he confessed." Ria mentioned with a little nod of her head. She put the CD and the flash drive in her suit jacket's inner pocket. "A signed confession at that…" she added.

Carlisle's face constricted from a moment. "I know," he said with a forced nod. His voice was serious, but the agitation underneath as not hidden well. "I counseled him to refrain from doing anything of the sort especially confessing to a crime I know with every fiber in my being that he didn't commit." He sighed, looking downward for a moment. "But he confessed and took the deal for life in prison."

From behind Torre, Lightman listened. He took the resolve to focus not on the attorney's facial expressions, but on the man's voice. His inquisitive eyes roamed the office of the man before him. He found that the room was purposely out of order with the books not fully pushed into the shelves, and countless files piled upon another on the floor.

"Have you filed for an appeal?" Ria asked.

Carlisle smiled humorlessly for his eyes were not bright and the corners of his lips did not curve upward. He ran a hand through his hair showing his stress and his attempt to relieve the feeling.

"Believe me, I've tried. But the justice system's not perfect and it isn't particularly kind to repealing decisions like the one made for my client," he replied. He pulled open another drawer and rummaged through it for a few seconds. Then he stopped and pulled out a videotape. "The confession is on here."

He handed Torre the video then gave a slightly apologetic smile. "I would give you more, but I have an appointment with another client due at any moment now," he said.

Ria stood up and nodded. She went to Cal's side and jointly the two went to the door, opened, and before Cal could follow Torre out the defense attorney spoke intent on adding something to his short summary.

"I'm glad you took this case." Carlisle said. His eyes were sad. "My client's sister…Rebecca…" He paused longer than necessary to the lie catchers' interest. "She's so close to breaking. I hope you can make sure that end doesn't happen."

"We'll see," was Cal's only reply as he exited the office. He cracked his neck and glanced at the room he saw the women who hired him was in. To his curiosity, she was still there. He looked back at Torre, and made a decision.

"Go back and analyze those little gifts that man gave you. I'll be there in a little bit," he told her.

From the corner of his eye, Ria looked at him curiously, but he ignored her, and waited until she finally turned to walk away in the opposite hallway then the one he intended to go through. Once she was out of sight, he moved quickly to where his client was, and checked to see if the door was unlocked.

He smiled a little as the door opened forward into the room silently. And there she was with her eyes closed; Rebecca Isaac was sitting down on a rolling chair. He mentally checked her pulse to see if she was awake and then at her face. He thought of a way to wake her up abruptly by doing something inherently annoying, but he decided against that way to doing things. So he started to leave until a soft yawn made him retract the choice to move as he returned his eyes to look upon the person that hired him.

"Morning," he said as he took a seat in front of her.

She yawned once again and her eyes flashed open at the sound of his voice. Her surprise clear, Lightman's mouth twitched a bit until the woman's surprise turned into annoyance as she scratched her nose. She then sat up after smoothing down her ruffled hair.

"Were you watching me sleep?" she asked; the accusation in her tone evident as her eyes looked at him suspiciously. "Just because I hired you doesn't give you any special liberties."

Amused, Cal took a seat then tapped his right hand on the table between them as he leaned back in his chair. With his other hand moving he replied in a cheering tone, "I just came in for a moment, you know." He titled his head. "Light sleeper, eh? Isn't that just a little bit defensive?"

Isaac frowned, her annoyance growing. "Are you going to be pointing out every lie or new piece of knowledge that you see from me while you find out the truth of this mass murder my brother supposedly committed?" Cal opened his mouth to answer, but she interrupted him. "Yeah, you probably will. If I can request this so our business dealings would go somewhat smoothly, because knowing you – well, I don't know you..." She paused but it was quick so she continued. "Whatever…anyway you can read my lies like that…" She snapped her fingers as she said it. "…I'd like you to not point anything out like you did with me being a light sleeper."

Lightman smiled even more amused by her snappy instructions than by her initial annoyance over him disturbing her sleep. There were subtle bags under her hazel eyes which were clean and pure as is the case when one awakes from a slumber – of sorts. He laughed at the way she tightly pressed her lips, and more.

"Duly noted, Ms. Isaac," he replied. He raised an eyebrow as he continued, "Or is it Mrs. Isaac?" He had already seen her left hand and spotted no signs of a ring indicating her being married. All he wanted was to hear her answer.

Isaac moved her head a bit then gave him a look that showed a little amusement. She looked at him up and down, and replied, "Ms. Isaac is enough as you are just Mister Lightman." She indicated to his uncovered left ring finger. "But I'm no lie catcher…so I'll venture a guess that you…"

"I…." Cal drawled; interested in where she was leading the subject to.

"You were married." Isaac said. Her hazel eyes were sharp and there was a faint curious smile on her face. "Divorced now…You have a child, don't you?"

Impressed with her guess, Lightman gave her an appreciative nod. But he wasn't impressed with her powers of observation, and no way believed that she was a "natural." No, the guesses after his status of his romantic relationships she did not remove her eyes from his. She figured a part of him in a different way.

"I'm no expert on micro expressions, Dr. Lightman." Isaac said as if reading his mind though he knew that is virtually impossible considering the fact that he was a masterful liar. "I didn't read you."

"Then how did you assume such things about me?" he asked.

Her eyes became introspective as she replied, "Instinct."

Lightman had suspected that would be her answer, but was still mildly surprised, and his curiosity grew. The subject of instinct was a complicated one, but one of the most intellectually stimulating subjects that he has ever discussed and participated in. Instinct – every human had instincts. The instinct to breathe. The instinct to find love. The instinct to either run, fight, or stay numb.

But there were so many questions considerably frustrating. And some brought about a lot of worry such as if lying is a human instinct. Was it really? Is it by nature or nurture to lie? Is to lie being instinctual? He always believed lying was learned, but that didn't fully dismiss the option.

Another question that sports quarrels and deep thoughts is the question of instinct being the truth in finding answers. That idea is based on first impression to the extreme.

He still hasn't taken a stance on the matter for nothing was ever certain.

He looked at her long and hard as those thoughts of instinct ran rampart through his mind. He detected no lie on her face, but the simple truth. And he believed her. He believed that she truly trusted her instincts about everything. He had to give her respect for that.

"I believe you," he finally said.

Isaac's face relaxed, and her annoyance disappeared at his answer. The slight wrinkle above her nostril faded and some dimple appeared on the upper corner of her lip on both sides. Her hazel orbs became bluer in hue too.

"So your visit with my brother's attorney was pretty short," she guessed away, but got no sign of approval from Lightman. Yet she persisted with her instinctual process saying, "I bet he gave you that "She's breaking – you have to prevent it" line."

"Disapproving of his characterization?" he rhetorically asked. And even so he received a reply by a shadow forming in Isaac's eyes as her body became stiff. He put his right index finger above his lip under his nose, and placed his middle finger on his chin. "Joking about something you fear to be true…" he trailed, eyes ever watchful.

Eyes flashing in discontent, Isaac snapped, "And here I thought we've come to an understanding concerning your particular set of skills pertaining to unwanted access to my failing countenance."

The reemergence of her fiery resistance continually raised his interest level. He was getting even more bits of information about the woman in front of him as the day went on. It now appeared to him that her vocabulary tended to stray into different sections of commonality. He then believed what when emotionally heightened her words would become sharper and educationally deep in depth and breadth.

Lightman cracked a smile. "I promised you no such thing, miss." He said this as he momentarily pointed at her with his right hand. He then returned it to its former place as he continued, "I'll be sure to remember that I acknowledge your statement."

Isaac's eyes remained dark as her body lessened in stiffness. But just because he may have admitted to her suggestion didn't mean that he was finished talking. If he wouldn't allow himself to point out her deceptions and throw them in her face then he would push her buttons by questioning discreetly adding what he supposedly agreed not to do.

"You neither admitted nor denied being breakable…" he drawled on. He sat up, scooted closer to the table and folded his arms as he scrutinized her. "Clearly going through something as harrowing as a possibly wrongly convicted murderer of a brother can get tiring. Breaking per se is consistent to that sort of amount of stress."

For a moment or so, Rebecca Isaac's face faltered revealing the impact of the buttons that he eloquently pushed. But then it all disappeared into a wall of a statue's face showing no hint of signs being passed. Lightman had to give her credit. She was a capable liar. Yet he was no fool for once again it was her eyes that "ratted" her out. It was her hazel eyes that told him of her pain, of her strength, and of the possibility of breaking.

"Dr. Lightman, your negativity brings a chill to this room," she finally said in an emotionless voice. Her eyes caught his fixated, intent, and filled with a bunch of unsaid feelings. "Whatever cantankerous charm you think you possess is naïve and insolent." Then a dramatic change came over her to Cal's ever peaking curiosity and he watched almost mesmerized. Her eyes became sharper, stronger, and softer all at the same time. She looked no longer angry, but tired and – apologetic, regretful.

"Forgive me…" she said; her tone mirroring her voice. She stood up, picking up her purse, and went to the door. Cal turned quickly in his chair to see only her back. She put her hand on the door know and paused. She glanced at him suddenly emanating sudden shyness. She opened her mouth, but thought better of it and left.

A little off guard by the turn of events it took a lot of blinking for Lightman to return to the present. After scratching his chin in consideration, he stood up. His mind replayed the conversation that he had with his client. The accusation and the defensive tone in her voice after catching him watching her. The snaps of formidable wit from a loose wagging of the struck him. And the shadow, the pain, and the sadness in her eyes at the subject of being close to breaking were all strong.

He felt a sudden vibration in his pocket which was enough to pull him far from his thoughts. He took out his phone to see that it was Loker calling, but declined in answering it. He just exited the room; the memory of his discussion with one Rebecca Isaac vivid, and went on his way.

**TBC**

**End-note:** I hope you all enjoyed that! I know it's been a while once again. But I hope you still read this. Reviews appreciated!


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